There is little denying it, the cloud is the future. Microsoft is continuing to rely more and more on cloud technology for its products, both on a consumer, enterprise and server level. Windows 8 sees more cloud integration, so does Windows Server 2013.

Additionally, Microsoft has its own very capable cloud service, Windows Azure. Last week Microsoft announced that it was doing even more to establish itself as a major cloud player, this time by joining the Open Data Center Alliance (ODCA) as a contributor member.

What exactly is ODCA? Basically it is an independent IT consortium that is made up of several IT companies from across the globe. These companies come together in order to best figure out “where to go from here” when it comes to cloud standards and technology, and the long-term purposes of the cloud.

Microsoft’s new role as a member certainly gives the consortium some weight, but the Redmond giant is far from the only major company that has joined the ODCA. Some of the other members include BMW, UBS and Intel, among several others.

Right now, one of the factors holding back cloud adoption on a wider level is that there both a lack of standards and interoperability. Groups like ODCA work to find ways to bridge these weaknesses, working together to help shape the cloud.

The Importance of Cloud Going Forward

As said, Microsoft joining the ODCA is a sign of good things to come, and their participation comes just a little under a year after they opened their Microsoft Open Technologies wholly owned subsidiary.

“In line with Windows Azure’s commitment to openness and interoperability, we are pleased to join ODCA and work with industry leadership on standards for the cloud,” says Bill Hilf, a general manager of Windows Azure. “We are dedicated to serving the industry and customers by providing an open, reliable and global approach to the cloud.”

Why does cloud matter though? From big data to simply getting things done quickly from anywhere in the world, cloud technology is important. As data, operating systems, programming and even entertainment move to cloud – it doesn’t matter what device you are using (PC/Tablet/laptop/TV), you have full access to all your information.

From the enterprise level to the consumer, the cloud is important and it is great to see Microsoft realizing this. What do you think of Microsoft joining the ODCA? Share your thoughts below.